The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-06-08

school, She found DOarQlnS place
near at hand and settled down with the
determination to work hard and give the
best satisfaction that she possibly could.
The first morning she was confronted by
the usual array. They were all sizes,
from those so small that the experienced
teacher always put them down as
having been sent by strategic mothers
to get them out of the way at
home, to the large boys she had spoken
of to Miss Bacon, some of whom were not
only larger than herself, but several
years older as we'll; and one of them, MIR.
Edward Comstock, even grew partlcu-
larly attentive to his teacher.
She was also met by the usual diversity
of textbooks, those necessary auxiliaIles
to successful school, ranging from the
late n. Webster's able spelling book to
the last work of some ambitious protes-
sor who hopes to teach orthognphy with
out labor on the part of pupil or teacher
with his new ':systcm'-the former vol
ume having been the property OF the
grandfather of the little urchin who
brought it and the latter having come as
sample from the publishers to the direc-
tor of the district who straightway armed
his Youngest son and heir with it, de-
termined to give the work trial before
recommending it.
Likewise there was the usual range of
studies. There was the little tot who
had yet to gain speaking acquaintance
with the alphabet, up to the ambitious
young man who aspired to algebra and
an ornate style of penmanship, which
ran to birds and spiral-spring O's.
1t must be confessed that in higher
mathematics and pen-strokes which
swelled out at unexpected places our
teacher was not altogether at home.
But she argued that these ambitious
young men knew nothing about it either,
and therefore. they could all, at least,
start even.
Among the particularly bad boys was
little Johnny butcher, whom Emma
found to be particularly obstinate youth
that no amount of moral suasion, 'keep-
in in" at the noon hour or even corporal
punishment could WOO from the error of
his ways.
Several weeks of school passed and
Mr.. Edward Comstock, the largest boy,
remained attentive to Emma-but not
more attentive than pupil could judi
ciously be to his teacher. One day when
the term was about half over she found it
necessary to order little Johnny butcher
to sit still in his seat and make the ac-
quaintance of his lesson during the noon
hour when the other children were en-
gagged in a grand snow-balling match
outside. Naturally this was the cause of
much grief to little Johnny-missing the
snow-balling match was partly response
BILE for the distress, but being forced to
come in contact with his lesson was the
direct cause. Judging from the way he
recited his lesson subsequently, it would
have been hard to conceive how such a
very slight introduction to it as he must
have had could have caused him so much
grief. But it did and Johnny went home
plotting all manner of schemes for re-
venge.
The next day little Johnny's father,
MIR butcher, senior. called at the school
and expressed his great displeasure at
the way his promising son had been used.
He was very awkward about it, and not
half so warlike as his manner at first in.
dicated.
'.Wot I want to say" explained Mr..
butcher, "is that you 'bused my boy, an
as one O. the officers of this school dees-
trick I'm goin' to see if something can't
be done bout it."
81 never abused your boy" said Emma
firmly.
''But he says ye did. He says ye KEEP
him in at noon an ree-cesses, an it amt
good for his health-no, ma'am, it's very
bad on his health-it's wearin' on him
now-he can't stand it 'thout no
exercise"
II only kept him in few times, and
it was because he never had his lessons"
But he says he alays has his lessons,
and that you al'ays keeps him in. An
then he tells me ye pounded him with a
club"
"Then he tells what isn't so, and you
know it," replied Emma, with emphasis,
her anger rising.
"One O. my boys lie? They don't never
do no such thing-I brought 'em up
different from that I'll hev you unner-
stand! They tells the truth every time
and ye did pound poor little Johnny with
q club! Ye hain't no fit teacher fer a
school an I'm goin' to see eff can't get
We turned out and some'un in as can learn
the scholars an not pound 'em!"
"Sha'n't I put him out?" asked |
Edward Comstock, coming forward.
eyes" she said in a tone which |
showed that she would have done it
herself if she had been able. Then there
followed very lively though short en-
counted in which MIR. butcher got |
picked up and dropped couple of
times, stepped on once and finally thrown
out through the door into large snow
bank, all of which feats were accom-
plished by Edward Comstock, the
largest boy in school, who was also
accused of harboring tender regard for
the teacher herself.
But though the yalorous butcher had
been so artistically got rid of in the
morning it was much harder to dispose
of him in the afternoon when he called
with the remainder of the intelligent |
School Board and announced that owing
to the fact that she had pounded one of
the children of a member of that Board !
with club and deprived him of needful
exercise-clearly proved by the child |
himself-that they, as a Board and in
pursuance of their duties, must dismiss
her as teacher and secure another who
-,,o,,l not nor1iyo tho health of tho